BIRD BK N727Y accident near Zanesville, Ohio

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he intentionally taxied the airplane off the runway after landing to preserve the tires on the antique airplane due to a rough runway surface. The airplane subsequently encountered an unmarked drainage ditch. A postaccident examination showed that the airplane departed the right side of the runway about 150 feet from the approach end and traveled through a 40-foot-wide area of closely mowed grass, striking a runway light in the process. The airplane continued into an area of 1-foot-tall vegetation until it impacted the drainage ditch about 500 feet from the approach end of the runway. An examination of the runway did not reveal an excessively rough surface. The occurrence of the runway excursion within 150 feet of touching down and then the airplane traveling 500 feet after exiting the runway is consistent with airplane having significant speed at the time of the excursion, rather than an exit onto the grass under controlled conditions. The pilot likely lost directional control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the airplane departing the runway, striking the runway light, and impacting into the ditch.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13LA497 for the full record.